It's been awhile since I last posted (Late March!) and a lot has happened with our Ohio mile alums.

Clayton Murphy currently owns the fastest mile time in the US at 3:51.99. That came at the Pre Classic at Historic Hayward Field where he took 5th in a world class field. Clayton is now #2 on the Ohio All-Time list, trailing only Tom Byers (3:50.84, 1982).

Colby Alexander missed 3 months between Mid Feb and Mid May with a calf injury. After running an indoor mile PR at the Wanamaker mile at the Millrose Games in NYC, he missed the next 3 months and it looked as if his outdoor season was in jeopardy. After only a few weeks of training he debuted at USA's with a 3:42 in his 1500 heat, just missing the last qualifying spot to the final. The next week at the Portland Tracktown Summer Series, he almost stole the race against a field that was basically the same field as the USA final. His time of 3:37.86 was only 4 tenths from the win. Four days later he ran 3:36.10, only a second off the win at the TT Summer Series final against the same field in NYC. That time is the #6 time run in the US so far this year. At this rate of improvement, it could be a great summer for Colby!

Sam Prakel has a year left at Oregon but he's already making a splash on the national level. Sam was a 1500 finalist at the USA Championships (7th) and has run 3:37.79 for 1500. That's equal to a 3:55.21 mile. Oregon makes their mark churning out world class milers!

Cory Leslie ran a 3:38.10 at Swarthmore. That converts to a 3:55.55 mile.

Ryan Adams (CVCA HS), a soph at Furman, ran 3:42.90 at the Raleigh Relays. That is a 4:00.73 mile equiv. Will he become the 24th Ohioan to run sub 4???

Or will it be Indiana frosh, Kyle Mau (Hudson HS)?? Kyle ran 4:00.37 indoors this year. Missed by the blink of an eye!

NOTE: Dave Wottle's 3:53.3 was run in a race in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field. Pre invited Wottle to come out and race him in a mile. Wottle outkicked Pre for the win in, what was at the time, the second fastest time ever run by an American. Only Jim Ryun's World Record 3:51.1 was faster at the time. This race is featured in the "Fire On The Track" documentary on Pre.

NOTE: Colby Alexander ran 3:50.3 (HT) at the NYRRC 5th Avenue Mile in 2016. That is the fastest mile ever run by an Ohioan indoors, outdoors, or on a certified road mile.

In the above post regarding Ohioans that have been running fast miles lately, I forgot to mention Brannon Kidder. Brannon (Lancaster HS) PR'd in the 1500 in Europe recently, running 3:38.71 in London just a few days ago, on July 9. Brannon presently runs for the Brooks Beasts based out of Seattle.

Oregon junior Sam Prakel (Versailles HS) ran a 3:55.89 mile in Cork, Ireland, on July 18, for his first win on the European circuit, to put himself in at #9 on the All-Time Mile list for Ohio milers. Sam knocked Ohio legend Bob Kennedy out of the top ten!! That's as much of an accomplishment as the 3:55!!

NOTE: Dave Wottle's 3:53.3 was run in a race in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field. Pre invited Wottle to come out and race him in a mile. Wottle outkicked Pre for the win in, what was at the time, the second fastest time ever run by an American. Only Jim Ryun's World Record 3:51.1 was faster at the time. This race is featured in the "Fire On The Track" documentary on Pre.

NOTE: Colby Alexander ran 3:50.3 (HT) at the NYRRC 5th Avenue Mile in 2016. That is the fastest mile ever run by an Ohioan indoors, outdoors, or on a certified road mile.

Update
The 2017 Pro track season is winding down but we still see bits and pieces of news from some of our Ohio alum.

Clayton Murphy will be joining the Nike Oregon Project and will be relocating to Portland. He'll be joining Olympic Gold Medalist Matthew Centrowitz and another new NOP signee, Craig Engels, to form a solid miler training group.
This is also being discussed in another Clayton Murphy thread on Yappi.

Colby Alexander has rebounded from injury with some good races lately. Colby missed 3 months of training heading into outdoors but has come back strong.

After running a US #6 ranked 1500 3:36.10 (3:53 mile equiv) at the Tracktown Summer Series final, Colby raced only his 3rd 800 since HS, running 1:47.00, only 2 tenths off the win at the Liege Meet in Belgium.

He followed that up with a win at the Westchester Mile in a tactical race. With a 25 second last 200, Colby edged Garrett Heath, Craig Engels and Riley Masters for the win in 4:00.1. Two weeks later, in a field that featured a bevy of Olympians and National record holders, Craig Engels turned the tide on Colby by taking the win in the Falmouth Elite Mile. Engels outkicked Colby and 2-time Olympic 1500 medalist Nick Willis (NZ) to win another slow tactical, kickers race in 4:00.1. Willis and Alexander crossed the finish line one and two tenths behind Engels in a blanket finish.

The season is winding down but a couple high caliber mile races remain. The Hoka Long Island Mile (track) is Sept 6th. A world class field featuring Nick Willis (NZ) , Chris O'Hare (GB), Johnny Gregorek (US), Ryan Gregson (Aus) and a slew of world class milers will be aiming for a fast time in honor of David Torrence. Daniel Winn will be setting a pace geared toward 3:50/3:52.

On Sept 10th the NYRRC will host the world's most competitive road mile, the 5th Ave Mile in NYC. Last year 3 Oregon Ducks took the honors. Eric Jenkins (NOP), Matthew Centrowitz (NOP, 2 weeks off his Olympic Gold performance), and Colby Alexander (Hoka/NJNYTC) raced to the fastest top 3 finish in the history of the event. Jenkins edged out Centro and Colby 3:49.5 to 3:49.6 to 3:50.3. Colby and Jenkins will be back as part of a 22 man star studded international field.